Two big news surfaced regarding the usage and implementation of Aadhaar based authentication. While one of them concerns protecting the privacy of all Aadhaar users, the second is related with Aadhaar based KYC process, for all mobile users. Existing and new, both.

UIDAI Registration Now Must For All Aadhaar Authentication Devices

The devices which use Aadhaar based authentication has access to literally millions of datasets, stored under the Aadhaar database. If any one of the devices is hacked, then it means sensitive data of millions of Indians are compromised.

Understanding this threat, Govt. of India has made UIDAI registration a must for all Aadhaar authentication devices – this includes mobile phones and other hardware devices as well, which are used for authenticating Aadhaar based data.

Ajay Bhushan Pandey, CEO of UIDAI said, “We are going to say that in India only registered devices will work (for Aadhaar authentication). If you want to use Aadhaar authentication then your devices will have to be registered with us,”

A formal announcement would be soon made, and the process will take approximately 4-5 months. This decision will add another layer of protection to the devices which access Aadhaar data. Right now, only STQC (Standardisation Testing and Quality Certification) is required for such devices.

Now, the question, how will it be done? As per reports, Govt. will make it mandatory to embed the Aadhaar encryption key right into the device when it is being manufactured.

TRAI Proposes Aadhaar e-KYC For All Mobile Users

Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has proposed to make Aadhaar based e-KYC (Know Your Customer) for all mobile users, whether they are new or existing. This means, Govt. now wants Aadhaar linked telecom users, after making the same mandatory for all bank customers last year.

As per reports, TRAI is proposing some incentive based Aadhaar push, like offering free talk time for linking their Aadhaar cards with the telecom service provider.

In a statement, TRAI has justified this move by saying that existing KYC process is not robust, and scamsters are taking advantage of the same. TRAI said, “The existing paper-based KYC is not robust enough and the possibility of a significant number of working SIMs, which may have been acquired on fake/forged identity, cannot be fully ruled out. The owner of such fake identity would not even be aware that SIMs are working in his/her name..”

In their statement, TRAI has emphasized the fact such Aadhaar based e-KYC should be optional, and not mandatory.